Antenna operating arrangement having safety means operative during jammed condition



Aug. 16, 1960 E. FISCHER 2,949,608 ANTENNA OPERATING ARRA CEMENT HAVING SAFETY MEANS Filed June 13. 1958 OPERATIVE DURING JAMMED CONDITION 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I n venfor Erich Fischer W3 WA E. FISCHER Aug. 16, 1960 2,949,608 ING SAFETY M ANTENNA OPERATING ARRANGEMENT HAV BANS OPERATIVE DURING JAMMED CONDITION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 13. 1958 In venfor Erich Fischer by WS. 220..

1960 E. FISCHER 2,949,608

ANTENNA OPERATING ARRANGEMENT HAVING SAFETY MEANS OPERATIVE DURING JAMMED CONDITION Filed June 1a, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.5 Fig. 5a

Inventor I by Ench Fischer Aug. 16, 1960 E FISCHER 2,949,608

ANTENNA OPERATING ARkANGEMENT HAVING SAFETY MEANS OPERATIVE DURING JAMMED CONDITION Filed June 15. 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Anfenna erecfing moiursysfem 71; ,Mofor ll'ml'l' .SW/frh. One confacl' only 72 I of'makevbeforebreak conlads bmken af exlreme I limit of have! f IE I Invenfor: Erirh Fischer g. m fihumlyw United States Patent ANTENNA OPERATING ARRANGEMENT HAV- ING SAFETY MEANS OPERA'ITWE DURING JAMMED CONDITION Erich Fischer, Esslingen (Neclrar), Germany Filed June 13, 1958, Ser. No; 741,934 4 Claims. (Cl. 343M903) The present application is a, continuation-impart of my U.S. patent application Serial No. 471,026, filed on November 24, 1954, and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to on or off. The prespreferably applied to radio sets and telescopic antennas, as used in motor cars.

It is, one object of the present invention to provide an It is another object of the present invention to provide for operating the antenna on electric motor which is automatically disconnected and stopped a predetermined; time after the antenna has arrived in one of its end. positionS. or is obstructed and blocked in an intermediate positi'on.

It is a further object of the present invention to automatically move the antenna to its advanced operative position while the tubes of the radio set are being heated to operating temperature.

It is an important object of the present, invention to assure movement of the antenna to one of its end positions although its movement may be slowed, down by an. obstruction, and to provide means for delaying switching; ofi of the motor.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means for stopping the motor moving the antenna when; the antenna is completely obstructed in any intermediate. position.

With these objects in view, the present invention main-- 1y consists in an antenna arrangement which comprises,. in combination, a telescopic antenna movable between an inoperative position and an operative position; electric motor means; circuit means connected to the motor means and including a motor stop switch; operating: means for the antenna and including a friction coupling; and actuating means for operating the motor stop switch. The actuating means are positively driven by the motor means for operating the stop means after a predetermined. time which is at least equal to the time required by said. operating means for moving the antenna between in-- operative position and operative position. Thereby, the motor means is not only stopped when the antenna reaches its end positions during a normal operation, but. is also stopped after the predetermined time when the antenna is blocked in intermediate position and the fric-- tion coupling slips so that the parts cannot be excessively heated.

in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the op-- erating means comprise a flexible cable, and the motor means is reversed in the end positions of the antenna.

The construction of the present invention has the advantage that the friction coupling slips when the antenna is partly or completely obstructed. If the antenna is only partly obstructed it can reach its end position although; slowly moving provided the action of the actuating means;

is sufliciently delayed. On the other hand the motor is,

2,919,608 Patented Aug. 16, 1960 switched OE and does not run indefinitely with the coupling slipping when the antenna is completely obstructed and blocked in an intermediate position.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present. invention, the antenna opera ng arrangement is electrical-- 1y connected to the main switch of the radio set with. which the antenna is associated, and the arrangement is such that whenever the main switch of the radio set is switched to on position, the motor is switched on and moves the antenna to an advanced operating position, and whenever the main svwtch is moved to off position, the motor is switched on and the antenna is retracted. The circuit of the motor, consequently, includes reversing: means operating in such manner that the motor is not. only switched on upon operation of the main switch but; also reversed for advancing, and for retracting, respectively, of the antenna as required.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the: appended claims. The invention itself, however, both: as to its construction and its method of operation, to2- gether with additional objects and advantages thereof; will be best understood from the following descri tioniof specific embodiments when read in connectionv with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the antenna operating device taken in the direction of the arrow B in Fig. 2, a portion of the housing being removed;

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the antenna operating device taken in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 2, a portion of the housing being removed;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5a is a fragmentary plan view of a detail in Fig. 5;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 66 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a schematic isometric view of an arrangement according to the present invention; and

Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram of the preferred arrangement according to the present invention.

Referring now to the to Fig. 7, an electric motor 66 operates a telescopic an-- tenna 1 through motion transmitting means, namely the: shaft 57, and through operating means including a cable: drum 43, a flexible cable 16 and a friction coupling 50:. Delayed action actuating means, including a cam 61 and. a stepping wheel 67 having an actuating pin 71, actuate: the motor stop switch 70 to switch oh the motor. The arrangement is such that normally first the antenna; reaches one of its end positions, whereupon the friction coupling 50 slips and permits further rotation of the motor 66 for a predetermined time until the motor stop switch 70 is actuated to stop the motor. movement is obstructed in an intermediate position, the friction coupling slips likewise, and motor 66 continues turning until switch off by switch 70.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the telescopic antenna consists of the two telescopic tubes 1 and 2 and the shiftable telescopic rod 3 which is provided at its free end with a button 4. The antenna is illustrated in Fig. l in expanded end position with sections 5 of the telescopic members broken off. The outer telescopic tube 1 is guided in an insulating member 8 and in an insulating guide tube 13, which are arranged in a protecting metal tube 10.

The insulating member 8, which has a threaded portion 9 projecting above the metal tube 16, engages with its bottom face the ridge 11 and with an annular top face the inner flange 12 of the metal tube 10. The insulating guide tube 13 is held at its upper end by an insulating ring 14 which is secured to the tube 10, and at itsdrawings, and more particularly' If the antenna lower end by the tubular portion 17 of the operating device 31. The outer telescopic tube 1 has at its lower end a flange 18 which slides during movement of the antenna along the inner surface of the guide tube 13, and abuts against the insulating ring 14 when the antenna reaches its advanced projecting end position.

The antenna is mounted in a bore of the sheet 7, which is part of the motor car body, and is secured by the nut 15 which is screwed onto the threaded projecting portion of the insulating member 8. A rubber washer 6 is provided for insulating purposes.

The conductor 26 which leads to a radio set, not shown, is connected to the antenna by a sliding contact spring 30. The conductor is enveloped by a protecting tube 21 and by an insulation 22 and passes through a metal sleeve 19 which is soldered to the metal tube 10. An insulating member 28 is located in a lateral bore of the metal tube 10 and engages with flange 29 to the tube 10. A square pin is arranged in the insulating member 28. Thecontact spring 30is riveted thereto by rivet head 27, while the conductor 20 is soldered to the other end of the pin 25. I

The telescopic rod 3 is operated by a flexible but fairly rigid cable 16 which is attached to the lower end of the rod 3, and preferably consists of a non-metallic material such as a synthetic plastic material. The flexiblecable 16 passes through an opening 33 in the insulating member 17 and into the operating device 31. Cable 16 has such rigidity that it is capable'of pushing the rod 3 to a projecting position, the telescopic tubes 1 and 2 being taken along by rod 3 until the telescopic antenna assumes its expanded end position. During the retraction of the antenna, the button 4 consecutively engages the telescopic tubes 2 and 1 until the telescopic antenna reaches its contracted position.

The tubular portion 17 of the operating device 31 is connected by a short piece of rubber hose 34 to the protecting metaltube 10. Clamping means 35 and 36 hold the rubber hose 34.

The antenna operating device, which is generally designated by the reference numeral 31, has a housing consisting of two caps 37 and 38 which are attached to a centrally located insulating body 32, as best seen in Fig. 2. The insulating body 32 is provided with two ears 39 having bores 40 for attaching the device to the body of a vehicle.

The operating cable 16 is moved by operating drum means 43 located in the housing 37, 38 on which the operating cable 16 is wound, as best seen in Figs. 5, 5a and 6. The drum 43 consists of two dished frusto-conical outer and inner members which are composed, respectively of flat bottom portions 41 and 42 and of two frustoconical portions 44 and 45 which define a chamber receiving the operating cable 16. The drum 43 is turnably mounted on a shaft 46 which is secured to the insulating body 32, and is held by a ring 47. A washer 48 spaces the drum from the insulating body 32. The inner end of the operating cable 16 passes into a bore in an attaching pin'49, and is secured to the same, see Fig. 5. The pin 49 projects into an elongated slot 52 in the conical portion 44 of the inner member of the drum 43 and is guided in slot 52 by a sliding portion 51.

The slot 52 is best seen in Fig. 5a. It will be apparent that slot 52 extends obliquely from the wider end of the drum to the smaller end of the drum, the end of the slot located on the smaller drum end being forwardly located in the direction of rotation indicated by the arrow C. This direction of rotation corresponds to unwinding of the cable 16. Consequently, the pin 49 slides in the slot 52 when the operating cable 16 is wound off the drum so'that the remaining windings of the cable 16 slide toward the wider drum end and remain ti htly coiled and in lateral engagement with each other.. The axial feeding of the windings prevents a buckling of the flexible operating cable 16 during the movement of the antenna to expanded position since the tight coil on the drum rigidly supports the fed portion of the cable 16 which is subject to buckling forces.

An annular member 53 is secured to the inner surface of the drum 43 and is provided with a flange 54, whose rim frictionally engages two friction discs 55 and 56, best seen in Fig. 5. The discs 54, 55 and 56 constitute a friction coupling 50. A shaft 57 is turnably mounted in a sleeve 58 and cariies a fixed gear 59. Adjacent thereto, a number of dished cup springs 62 are loosely mounted on the shaft 57. Shaft 57 has a square portion on which are mounted a cam disc 61 and the friction discs 55 and 56 so that these members turn with the shaft. Shaft 57 is rotated by an electric motor 66 having a rotor shaft 63 provided with a fixed pinion 65 meshing With gear 59 on shaft 57. The motor 66 and the bearing sleeve 58 of the shaft 57 are supported by a supporting member 88 which is located in the recess of the insulating body 32.

An adjusting nut 60 is mounted on a threaded end portion of the shaft 57, so that tightening of the nut 60 effects compression of the dished springs 62 so that the cam disc 61 and the friction discs 55 and 56 are pressed together for adjusting the torque at which the friction discs 55 and 56 start slipping on the friction disc 54. In order to maintain the proper adjustment regardless of vibrations occurring during driving of the car on which the device is mounted, the nut 60 is secured by small screws 64.

Cam disc 61 and a stepping wheel 67 cooperating therewith are best seen in Figs. 4 and 7. Cam disc 61 has a cam lug 69 which engages the stepping wheel 67 once during each revolution and shifts the same for one 61 in any direction of rotation, the pin 71 engages one of the lateral faces of the central contact spring 72 which is located between two outer contact springs 73 and 74, The contact springs '72, 73 and 74 constitute a motor stop switch which is electrically connected to the motor 66 in a manner which will he described hereinafter in greater detail and serves for disconnecting the motor from a source of electric current a predetermined time after the antenna has arrived in one of its end positions or is completely blocked in an intermediate position.

The stepping wheel 67 has so many teeth that the electric motor 66, and the cam disc 61 perform a number of additional revolutions after the antenna has reached one of its end positions before the pin 71 reaches the central contact spring 727 and lifts it off one of the outer contact springs 73 and 74 for disconnecting the motor 66. During such additional revolutions of the motor the antenna is blocked in one of its end positions, and therefore the friction coupling 56 slips. In other Words, the motor 66 turns a greater number of revolutions before being switched oi as is required for moving the antenna between the end positions thereof.

This arrangement cbtains the advantageous result that the antenna is reliably moved to one of its end positions even if the antenna movement, or the movement of the drum is obstructed or slowed down by friction or by binding of movable parts. Such disturbances may occur during practical use of the antenna if the telescopic members are bent, or if dust enters into the mechanism.

In this event, the antenna movement is slowed down and the friction coupling slips, but the motor is not switched off before the antenna reaches the respective end position. The delayed action actuating means 61, 67, 71 effects stopping of the motor 66 only after a predetermined time so that the partly obstructed antenna reaches its end position although its movement is slow.

pias

if no delayed action actuating means 61, 67, 71 were provided, the friction coupling 50 arranged between the cam disc 61 and the 43 would slip, and the motor 66 would be stopped before the partly obstructed slowly moving antenna reaches one of its end positions. This disadvantage is overcome by the provision of the delayed action actuating means 61, 67, 71 between the friction coupling and the motor.

In the event that the telescopic antenna is completely blocked or permanently obstructed in an intermediate position, the friction coupling 50 slips until the stepping wheel 67 opens the switch 70 and stops the motor 66. As best seen in Fig. 7, the delayed action actuating means 61, 67, 71 are directly driven by the motor, while the operating means 43, 1'6 50 of the antenna connect the antenna to the motor through the friction coupling 50. If the friction coupling were arranged between the cam disc 61 and the motor 66, the antenna would arrive in one of its end positions if the mechanism is obtructed temporarily, but in the event that antenna movement is completely blocked in an intermediate position in which poor radio reception is possible, the motor would run continuously wasting electric power and wearing out the friction coupling 50.

The antenna operating device also includes two relays 78 and 79 and which are shown in Figs. 4 and 6 and whose function will be explained hereinafter. As shown in Fig. 3, the relay 78 is attached to the insulating body 32 by screws 80, the relay 79 is attached by screws 81, and the motor 66 is attached by screws 8-3. The drum 43 is omitted in Fig. 3 for the sake of clarity. The holes 84 which receive the screws 83 are shown in Fig. 4.

The motor 66, the supporting means 88, the gear 59 and the dished springs 62 are shown in Fig. 5, but omitted in Fig. 4 for the sake of clarity. The recess 85 in the insulating body 32 receives supporting member 88 of the motor 66. The three electric conductors which lead to the insulating body 32 are combined in an insulating cable 89.

The electrical connections between the motor and switch means are best seen in the diagram of Fig. 8. The operating device 31 and the radio set 92 are schematically indicated in Fig. 8. Only the main switch 93 and the filaments 94 of the tubes of the radio set are shown for the sake of clarity.

A source of electric current, such as the battery 91, is provided for driving the motor 66 of the antenna operating device 31 and for supplying the radio set 92. The battery has terminals 103 and 104 which are connected by wires 102 to the radio set 92. The point 101 has the potential of the battery terminal 103 when the main switch 93 is closed and is connected by a conductor 95 to one end of the relay winding of the reversing relay 78. The other end of the relay winding is connected to terminal 104. The movable armature (not shown) of relay 78 operates the movable contacts 96 and 97 of a reversing switch 111 which also includes fixed contacts 105, 106, 107 and 108. The reversing switch reverses the direction of the rotation of the rotor 100 of motor 66 for moving the telescopic antenna in opposite directions from contracted to expanded position, and vice versa.

The relay 79 has a winding connected in parallel with the field winding 98 of motor 66, and operates a contact 99 by which the rotor 100 is connected, and disconnected, respectively, whenever the field winding 98 of the motor 66 is connected and disconnected, respectively.

The field winding 98 is connected to the battery by the reversing switch 111, and is disconnected by motor stop switch 70. The central contact spring 72 is connected to one end 109' of the field winding 98, while the other end 110 of the field winding is connected to the fixed contacts 105, 106 of the reversing switch which are directly connected to each other. The outer contact springs 73 and 74 are connected to the fixed contacts 107 and 108, respectively.

The motor stop switch 76 is in the position i when the antenna is contracted, in the position II when the antenna is expanded, and in the position III during the movement of the antenna between its end positions. All other contacts and switches are shown in Fig. 8 in the position of rest in which the antenna is retracted, and the radio set is disconnected.

The operation of the device will now be described with reference to Fig. 8.

When the main switch 93 of the radio set 92 is switched to on position, the relay 78 moves the movable contact 96 and 97 of the reversing switch 111 from the position shown in full lines to the position shown in broken lines so that the field winding 98 of the motor 66 and the relay 79 are energized. The relay contact 99 closes, and the rotor 100 is connected to the battery. The rotor 100 of motor 66 turns until the antenna has moved from its contracted end position to its expanded end position, and then performs additional revolutions until the stepping wheel 67, 71 engages one face of the central contact 72 and shifts the same so that the motor stop switch 70 assumes the position II. In this position, the contacts 72 and 74 are separated whereby the field winding 98 and the relay winding 79 are disconnected so that the switch 99 opens, and stops the motor 66. The apparatus is now in receiving condition with the antenna in advanced position and the radio set switched on.

When the radio set is disconnected by opening the main switch 93, the armature of relay 78 drops, and the movable contacts 96 and 97 assume again the position shown in full lines in Fig. 8. The switch 70 is still in the position II so that the motor is connected to the battery. The field winding 98, however, is reversed and consequently the rotor 100 turns in opposite direction and retracts the antenna until the same arrives in its contracted position, whereupon the rotor 100 turns a number of additional revolutions until the actuating pin 71 engages the opposite face of the central contact 72 of the motor stop switch 70 and shifts the same to the position I. The contacts 72 and 73 are separated, the field current interrupted and the relay contact 99 disconnects the motor rotor so that the device is again in its initial position.

From the above description of the operation of the device it will be apparent that the reversing switch 111 is movable between two end positions and connects the motor 66 in each of these end positions in the polarity required for moving the antenna in the required direction. The motor stop switch 70 serves exclusively for disconnecting the motor after the antenna has reached one of its end positions. The provision of three contacts 72, 73 and 74, and the movement of the central contact 72 from the position I into the position II, and vice versa, permits the reversal of the motor by the reversing switch 111.

The motor stop switch 70 could be constructed as a tumbler break before make switch. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention the switch 70 is a make before break switch and the three contacts 72, 73 and 74 engage each other in the position III during the movement of the antenna. This arrangement has the advantage that the antenna immediately starts a return movement to contracted position before reaching its expanded end position, when the main switch 93 is switched on and immediately thereupon switched otf. In contrast to the tumbler switch break before make arrangement in which the antenna may stop in an intermediate position when the radio set is switched off during movement of the antenna, the preferred embodiment has the result that the antenna is always moved to retracted position when the radio set is switched off. Scorching of the leaf spring contact 72, 73, 74 does not take place since only the comparatively weak field current of the motor, and the energizing current of the relay 79 passes through switch 70.

It is possible to omit the relay 79 and the switch 99, and to disconnect the rotor 100 of the motor 66 by motor stop switch 70. However, in this event, the full motor current flows over switch '70 and the contacts 72, 73, 74 must be dimensioned accordingly to prevent scorchmg.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of antennaoperating arrangements differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an antenna operating arrangement in which a telescopic antenna is advanced and retracted by an electric motor which is disconnected only after the antenna has arrived in any one of its end positions, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Antenna arrangement for a motor car comprising, in combination, an antenna movable between an inoperative position and an operative position; electric motor means; circuit means connected to said motor means and including a motor stop switch, reversing means for said motor means, and a start switch connected to said reversing means for selectively starting operation of said motor means in one of two opposite directions of rotation; operating means for said antenna and including a friction cou pling, said operating means being driven by said motor means for moving said antenna between said positions of the same within a given time if said friction coupling does not slip; actuating means for operating said motor stop switch, said actuating means being positively driven by said motor means for operating said motor stop switch after a predetermined time greater than said given time whereby said motor means is stopped after said predetermined time when movement of the antenna is blocked in an intermediate position and said friction coupling slips, said antenna being normally stopped when said antenna reaches one of said positions thereof.

2. Antenna arrangement for a motor car comprising, in combination, a telescopic antenna movable between an inoperative contracted end position and an operative expanded end position; electric motor means; circuit meansconnected to said motor means and including a motor stop switch, reversing means for said motor means, and a start switch connected to said reversing means for selectively starting operation of said motor means in one of two opposite directions of rotation; operating means for said antenna and including a friction coupling and a flexible cable connected to said telescopic antenna, said operating means being driven by said motor means for moving said antenna between said positions of the same within a given time if said friction coupling does not slip; actuating means for operating said motor stop switch, said actuating means being positively driven by said motor means for operating said motor stop switch after a predetermined time greater than said given time whereby said motor means is stopped after said predetermined time when movement of the antenna is blocked in an intermediate position and said friction coupling slips, said antenna being normally stopped when said antenna reaches one of said positions thereof,

3. Antenna arrangement for a motor car comprising, in combination, a telescopic antenna movable between an inoperative contracted end position and an operative expanded end position; electric motor means; circuit means connected to said motor means and including a motor stop switch, reversing means for said motor means, and a start switch connected to said reversing means for selectively starting operation of said motor means in one of two opposite directions of rotation; operating means for said antenna and including a friction coupling and a flexible cable connected to said telescopic antenna, said operating means being driven by said motor means for moving said antenna between said positions of the same within a given time if said friction coupling does not slip; delayed action actuating means for operating said motor stop switch, said delayed action actuating means being positively driven by said motor means for operating said motor stop switch after a predetermined time greater than said given time whereby said motor means is stopped after said predetermined time when movement of the antenna is blocked in an intermediate position and said friction coupling slips, said antenna being normally stopped after said antenna reaches one of said positions thereof.

4. Antenna arrangement for a motor car comprising, in combination, a telescopic antenna movable between an inoperative contracted end position and an operative expanded end position; electric motor means including a field winding; circuit means connected to said motor means and including a motor stop switch, reversing means for said motor means, and a start switch connected to said reversing means for selectively starting operation of said motor means in one of two opposite directions of rotation, said motor stop switch including two outer con tacts, and a movable contact located between said outer contacts and being movable between a first stop position in conductive engagement with one of said outer contacts, a second stop position in conductive engagement with the other said outer contacts, and a third intermediate position in conductive engagement with both said outer contacts, said circuit means also including electrical connections between said contacts of said motor stop switch and said start switch, at least one of said electrical connections being connected to said field winding; operating means for said antenna including a friction coupling and a flexible cable, said operating means being driven by said motor means for moving said antenna within a given time between said end positions of the same if said friction coupling does not slip; an actuating means for operating said movable contact of said motor stop switch, said actuating means being positively driven by said motor means for operating said movable contact of said motor stop switch after a predetermined time greater than said given time, said actuating means shifting said movable contact to said first and second stop positions thereof, respectively, when said antenna has reached said end positions thereof and said movable contact being in said intermediate position during movement of said antenna whereby said motor means is stopped after said predetermined time when movement of the antenna is blocked in an intermediate position and said friction coupling slips, said antenna being normally stopped when said antenna reaches one of said end positions thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,166,589 Harrington July 18, 1939 2,299,785 Barrett Oct. 27, 1942 2,391,470 May Dec. 25, 1945 2,435,440 Graham Feb. 3, 1948 2,537,481 Parsons Jan. 9, 1951 2,621,863,- Nagel Dec. 16, 1952 

